Embracing a Deep, Joyful Love for God

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we took a moment to pause from our usual discussions about vision and future plans to simply bask in the love of God. Our theme, "I'm in Love," is a reminder that our primary goal as a church is to cultivate a deep, passionate love for Jesus Christ. This love is not just a fleeting emotion or a mere obligation; it is a committed, covenant-keeping love that encompasses our entire being—heart, soul, and strength. Reflecting on Deuteronomy 6, we are reminded that the greatest commandment is to love God with all that we are. This love is not just about following rules but is the foundation of our relationship with Him.

When we truly love God, serving Him becomes a joy rather than a burden. Just as in human relationships, where love motivates us to go above and beyond, our love for God should inspire us to live sacrificially and joyfully for Him. However, this love is not something we can manufacture on our own. It is a supernatural gift that we must pray for, asking God to open our hearts to His love and to empower us to love Him in return.

We also took time to reflect on the importance of keeping God's commandments close to our hearts and teaching them to our children. This is not about legalism but about living out our love for God in obedience. Jesus emphasized that if we love Him, we will naturally obey His commands. Yet, we must be vigilant, especially in these times when wickedness is increasing, to ensure that our love does not grow cold.

Finally, we acknowledged that some of us may be struggling with sin and guilt, which can hinder our ability to love God fully. We took a moment for confession, not to make vows we cannot keep, but to humbly admit our sins and ask for God's forgiveness and strength to overcome them. This is a reminder that our purity and righteousness come not from our own efforts but from what Christ has done for us on the cross.

Key Takeaways:

- Our ultimate goal as a church is to be a community deeply in love with Jesus Christ, where our love for Him drives our actions and service. This love should be evident in our willingness to sacrifice and serve joyfully. [01:14]

- Loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength means engaging our emotions, decisions, and entire being in our relationship with Him. It is a holistic love that encompasses every aspect of our lives. [05:18]

- True love for God cannot be self-generated; it is a gift from God that we must pray for. We need His help to love Him and others genuinely, as our natural inclination is towards self-love. [13:27]

- Obedience to God's commands should stem from love, not obligation. As we love God, we naturally desire to do what pleases Him and avoid what offends Him. [18:07]

- In times of increasing wickedness, we must guard against our love growing cold. We need to remain steadfast in our love for God and His commands, resisting the pull of the world. [19:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Embracing God's Love
- [00:57] - The Church's True Vision
- [01:39] - Preparing for Christ's Return
- [02:17] - Love Makes Service Joyful
- [03:21] - The Nature of True Love
- [03:58] - Deuteronomy 6: The Great Command
- [05:18] - Loving God with All We Are
- [06:45] - Reserved Love for God
- [07:25] - Evaluating Our Love for God
- [12:57] - Understanding God's Love
- [13:27] - Praying for Love
- [16:30] - Commands on Our Hearts
- [18:07] - Obedience from Love
- [19:08] - Guarding Against Cold Love
- [21:26] - Confession and Renewal

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Deuteronomy 6:4-9
- John 14:15
- Matthew 24:12-13

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Deuteronomy 6:4-5, what are the specific ways we are commanded to love God? How does this encompass our entire being?
2. In the sermon, what was described as the ultimate goal of the church? How does this relate to the concept of being "in love" with Jesus? [00:57]
3. What does the pastor say about the relationship between love and obedience to God's commands? How is this reflected in John 14:15? [18:07]
4. How does the sermon describe the potential danger of our love growing cold in times of increasing wickedness? [19:08]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the command to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength challenge our current understanding of love? What might this look like in practical terms?
2. The pastor mentioned that true love for God cannot be self-generated and is a gift from God. How does this perspective change the way we approach our relationship with God? [13:27]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our love for God should influence our actions and service within the church community? [01:14]
4. How can the warning in Matthew 24:12-13 about love growing cold be relevant to our personal spiritual journey today?

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Can you say that you are "in love" with Him? What steps can you take to deepen this love? [07:39]
2. Consider the areas of your life where you might be serving God out of obligation rather than love. How can you shift your perspective to serve joyfully? [03:21]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of teaching God's commandments to our children. How can you incorporate this practice into your family life? [16:30]
4. Identify any sins or guilt that might be hindering your ability to love God fully. What steps can you take to confess and seek forgiveness? [23:18]
5. In what ways can you guard against your love for God growing cold amidst the increasing wickedness in the world? What practical steps can you take to remain steadfast? [19:08]
6. How can you actively pray for God to help you love Him and others more genuinely? What specific prayers or practices can you incorporate into your daily routine? [13:53]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt your love for God was particularly strong. What circumstances or practices contributed to that feeling, and how can you recreate them in your current life?

Devotional

Day 1: Love as the Church's Driving Force
Our ultimate goal as a church is to be a community deeply in love with Jesus Christ, where our love for Him drives our actions and service. This love should be evident in our willingness to sacrifice and serve joyfully. When we truly love God, serving Him becomes a joy rather than a burden. Just as in human relationships, where love motivates us to go above and beyond, our love for God should inspire us to live sacrificially and joyfully for Him. However, this love is not something we can manufacture on our own. It is a supernatural gift that we must pray for, asking God to open our hearts to His love and to empower us to love Him in return. [01:14]

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can serve someone in your church community this week out of love for Christ. How can you make this act of service a joyful expression of your love for Him?


Day 2: Holistic Love for God
Loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength means engaging our emotions, decisions, and entire being in our relationship with Him. It is a holistic love that encompasses every aspect of our lives. Reflecting on Deuteronomy 6, we are reminded that the greatest commandment is to love God with all that we are. This love is not just about following rules but is the foundation of our relationship with Him. When we love God with our whole being, every decision, action, and thought is influenced by this love, creating a life that is fully devoted to Him. [05:18]

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you feel your love for God is not fully expressed. What practical steps can you take to align this area with your love for Him?


Day 3: The Gift of True Love
True love for God cannot be self-generated; it is a gift from God that we must pray for. We need His help to love Him and others genuinely, as our natural inclination is towards self-love. This love is not just a fleeting emotion or a mere obligation; it is a committed, covenant-keeping love that encompasses our entire being—heart, soul, and strength. We must continually seek God in prayer, asking Him to fill us with His love so that we can love Him and others as He desires. [13:27]

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5, ESV)

Reflection: Spend time in prayer today, asking God to pour His love into your heart. How can you be more open to receiving and sharing this love with those around you?


Day 4: Obedience Rooted in Love
Obedience to God's commands should stem from love, not obligation. As we love God, we naturally desire to do what pleases Him and avoid what offends Him. This is not about legalism but about living out our love for God in obedience. Jesus emphasized that if we love Him, we will naturally obey His commands. Our obedience becomes a reflection of our love for God, demonstrating our commitment to His ways and His will. [18:07]

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a command of God that you find challenging to obey. How can you shift your perspective to see this obedience as an act of love rather than a duty?


Day 5: Guarding Against Cold Love
In times of increasing wickedness, we must guard against our love growing cold. We need to remain steadfast in our love for God and His commands, resisting the pull of the world. This requires vigilance and a constant renewal of our commitment to God. We acknowledged that some of us may be struggling with sin and guilt, which can hinder our ability to love God fully. We took a moment for confession, not to make vows we cannot keep, but to humbly admit our sins and ask for God's forgiveness and strength to overcome them. [19:08]

"And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: Consider the influences in your life that may be causing your love for God to grow cold. What steps can you take to guard your heart and renew your love for Him today?

Quotes


I don't want the church to ever lose its focus. You've got to understand our goal as a church is always the same. It's always got to be the same. The goal is that we are a group of people that we become a group of people that are madly in love with Jesus Christ. [00:00:52]

When you're in love, it's a lot easier to serve, isn't it? You know, I remember when I first fell in love with Lisa and I remember pretending I had to borrow her car for some reason and I borrow her car and I take it, I get a detailed, I put on brand new tires. [00:02:17]

It's not just like this infatuation, you know, feelings type love, and yet at the same time, it's not just a hardcore, you know what, I will love him regardless of anything because I've decided to. It's not just a discipline of I'm gonna force myself to love him. [00:03:23]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all of your strength, with everything, everything you got, love him. Hey, first he says love him with your heart, your heart that was the seat of your emotions. It's where all the emotions came from. [00:05:14]

I just ask him do you love him right now? Can you say that I'm in love with God? And during the first service I thought, man isn't it, isn't it wonderful that God wants us to love him? Think about that. I never really thought about that. [00:07:26]

We can't just muster up love out of ourselves. Like can you ever make someone fall in love with someone else? You can't force it and that's why Paul says this is why I bow before God. It's like he begs God would you help the church to understand how much you love them. [00:13:27]

He says these commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children, talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, when you get up, tie them as symbols on your hands, bind them on your foreheads. [00:16:30]

He wants us to obey them out of a heart of love and things don't change in the New Testament. In the New Testament Jesus doesn't change things and say okay now I want you to obey these commands so that you can get to heaven. No, again in the New Testament Jesus emphasizes. [00:18:07]

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. He says be careful in the end, the world's going to get more and more wicked, and as there is an increase in wickedness as the wicked acts get worse. [00:19:08]

I know what it's like to attend church and try to get excited and try to enjoy the forgiveness of God and yet feel so much guilt for what I did the night before. It's miserable, like David says in the Psalms, he goes it feels like my bones are wasting away inside of me. [00:21:26]

God doesn't want you feeling this burden, this heaviness, this lack of peace. I praise God for it because that shows that the Holy Spirit's working in your life and he's convicting you of the sin in your life but he doesn't want you to stay there he wants you to confess it. [00:22:55]

He tells us that when we do that he'll forgive us, he'll cleanse us from all unrighteousness and you'll be pure, not because of anything you did but because of what he did on the cross for you. He already paid for those things, so would you bow your heads right now. [00:25:12]

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Transcript
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